A Little Sip of Heaven
by Rocksanne
Summary: Gabriel owns a coffee shop. One cold day, Sam stumbles in.


It is so freaking cold outside that Sam can't feel his hands anymore. He keeps calling himself stupid to have forgotten his gloves at home. Well, it wasn't that he had forgotten, he just couldn't find them, which was strange because it isn't a habit of his to lose his things. He tries to rub his hands together but it doesn't do much and he puts them in his pockets, searching for some warmth. He walks more quickly with each second, his feet stepping on the half snow, half ice covering the ground. He has to be really careful not to slip. He finally decides to stop in a coffee shop. Because he is cold, early to his rendezvous anyway, and also really really cold.

He enters the first coffee shop he sees. The place is small, calm, cozy, warm and smells so good. Something like hot chocolate, fresh coffee and cinnamon. It reminds him of Christmas. Sam decides that he likes the place.

He walks by the counter and looks at the pastries there greedily. He hadn't known he was hungry before he saw them. His eyes fall on the chocolate Éclairs and all his resolution not to buy anything more than a hot chocolate flies away. Éclairs are his favorite and the ones in the shop look delicious. When he lifts his head, a little man (well, smaller than him, but that's not really hard since he is six foot four) is smiling at him, his strange golden-amber eyes sparkling. Sam looks at the badge on his shirt. The guy's name is Gabriel.

"Hello and welcome to A Little Sip of Heaven, what can I serve you?" the man says and Sam smiles.

"Hmmm, I'll take one — no two — no wait one — just one Éclair, with… a hot chocolate, with a lot of foam, please?" he asks, and the guy just nods, smiling even more brightly.

Sam pays for his order and then waits while Gabriel makes his hot chocolate, whistling quietly to the Christmas song playing on the radio. Sam takes his order when it's ready, thanks Gabriel and chooses a table. He doesn't want to go outside yet and he still has time to kill before his meeting. His eyes fall on the plate and sees that Gabriel gave him two Éclairs and that there is cinnamon on the foam of his hot chocolate. He looks at the other man who simply winks at him. Sam promises himself that he will pay for the other Éclair when he leaves.

::

Sam returns to A Little Sip of Heaven often. The place is really nice, the pastries always fresh, the hot chocolate always hot and with a lot of foam like he likes, and the service is good. And when he talks about a 'good service' he doesn't mean the extra pastries he gets, or the extra bright smile Gabriel gives him all the time. And he paid for those extra pastries.

It's two weeks before Christmas, and he is now a regular customer. He enters the coffee shop and Gabriel lifts up his head to look at him.

"Howdy, Samsquatch!"

"Hey, Gabe," answers Sam with a smile. He and Gabriel have gotten to know each other with all the time was Sam has been spending in the coffee shop. They've never seen each other out of it but it is still nice to met here. "How are you?"

"I'm always fine when you're around, you know that!" Gabriel winks at Sam, who blushes a little. "Kiddo, your face is all red. Are you going to be Santa this year? You forgot the beard."

"Shut up and give me my usual hot chocolate."

"No, not this time. I want to try something."

"What?"

"Trust me," demands Gabriel and Sam doesn't know how to argue with that.

He waits as Gabriel works behind the counter, making who knows what. A few minutes later, Gabriel gives him a mug full of what seems like his usual hot chocolate.

"Take a sip and tell me about it. And be careful — it's really hot."

Sam rolls his eyes at the warning. He carefully tastes the hot chocolate and OH — that is really good. It isn't his usual hot chocolate. This one has mint in it and really fits the season. He smiles before taking another sip.

"Mint-chocolate ? Neat, Gabe," he finally says, smiling at his friend.

"I always do some special coffees for Christmas, but since you really like hot chocolate, I thought this year my Christmas special could be that. Do you like it ?"

"Yes, thank you Gabe. How much ?"

"Oh, it's on me."

"Gabe, you can't — you can't give me everything I take here," protests Sam.

"Sure I can, it's my coffee shop. Besides, you always pay me back whenever I try to give you something, even when I don't take your money, so the other times don't count. Just accept this really great mint hot chocolate and this Éclair and don't say a word." When Sam tries to protest again, Gabriel cuts him off. "It's Christmas, you can't refuse."

"It's not Christmas for two more weeks."

"Sam," says Gabriel, which is something because Gabriel does not call Sam Sam. "If you don't accept it, you will not be allowed to come back here."

"Well then I guess I don't have any choice. But… " Sam hesitates. Maybe it isn't a good idea. Maybe he is wrong. "Accept my invitation for dinner? At my house, this Friday ?"

Gabriel's face softens and a smile take place on it. Sam sees the sparkles he had found in his eyes the first time he saw Gabriel, and it warms his heart.

"It would be my pleasure," says Gabriel.


End file.
